Knowledge of Chord Notation in the Kalimba

A group of sounds consisting of three or more sounds, arranged according to certain interval relations.

Using the scale in C major (abridgment 1234567) as the root note, the ordinal triad in C major can be formed:

1, 2 m, 3 m, 4 and 6 m, 7 °

Major triad: C, F, G

Minor triad: Dm Em Am

Reduced triad: Bdim

There are also seven chords, nine chords and so on...

How to play chords

The thumb piano, which we usually have in our hands, usually has left and right scales. When we need to play a complete octave, we need to play the left and right thumbs in turn, which is different from the piano keyboard. But it's very easy to play chords on the thumb.

For example, a C chord consists of three notes: 1, 3, and 5. On the carimba, the C, E, and G keys are adjacent. Those of you who play the guitar know that different chords have different fingering. On the thumb, most of the basic chords are on the same side, making it easy to play.

When playing and singing with the thumb piano, three or more notes can be played simultaneously in a sliding manner, just like guitar arpeggios or sweeping strings. It is also possible to play broken chords at a certain rhythm, such as playing each note in turn, just like guitar broken chords.